What Does the Future Hold?

Paradies Lagardère, an award-winning airport restaurateur and retailer, and Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) are proud to announce that a new food and beverage outlet, Aletitude, is now open at the airport.

Aletitude offers a grab-and-go concession area and bar, which is a convenient option for passengers. The bar serves a selection of on-tap and bottled beer and wine, and also offers grab-and-go salads and sandwiches. A large selection of snacks can be purchased in addition to bottled drinks. The bar has a seating area where passengers can enjoy their food and drinks while they wait for their flights to board.

Aletitude is located at the recently opened temporary gate area, which is a modular building adjacent to the south end of the terminal. The passenger seating area accommodates 240+ passengers and serves three boarding gates. This temporary gate area is now open so the airport can move forward with the largest infrastructure improvement project ever undertaken at AVL, slated to officially start this August.

"As we embark on the terminal expansion project, our goal is to make sure our passengers are comfortable during the process," said Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E., Greater Asheville Regional Airport (GARAA) President and CEO. "Paradies Lagardère has operated the Blue Ridge Tavern since 2011, and Cinnabon and Auntie Anne's since 2019. We are pleased to welcome their addition of Aletitude to the food and beverage offerings at AVL, which is a great way to provide some customer conveniences and comfort during our construction project."

“Asheville Regional Airport’s recent growth has been very impressive, and we are excited to add our new Aletitude concept to support that expansion,” said Gregg Paradies, President and CEO of Paradies Lagardère. “Aletitude offers an excellent bar program with popular selections from great local breweries as well as fresh and convenient snacks and grab-and-go. We greatly appreciate this opportunity and look forward to maximizing the overall dining experience at AVL.”

Paradies Lagardère is a leading airport travel retailer and restaurateur in North America, operating more than 950 stores and restaurants in 100 airports. Specializing in three airport concessions areas - Travel Essentials, Specialty Retail and Dining with expertise in international, national, and local brands - Paradies Lagardère's commitment to exceptional customer service, superior design and award-winning retail and restaurant operations has earned the company numerous accolades, including Best Airport Retailer for 25 consecutive years and Best Brand Restaurateur by Airport Experience News. For more information, visit paradieslagardere.com. 

Serving more than 1.8 million passengers in 2022, Asheville Regional Airport is continuing its growth trajectory. Now the third largest airport in North Carolina, the airport is served by six airlines that provide nonstop service to 26 unique airport destinations. For more information, visit flyavl.com.

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Pictured above, from the perspective from inside the bar.  Local brews on tap, right inside the new temporary gate area that will be in use for several years during the airport's terminal construction.

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(Asheville, N.C.) Asheville Regional Airport and the Federal Aviation Administration joined together today to break ground on a new air traffic control tower (ATCT). The new ATCT will replace the existing 62-year-old tower, which is one of the oldest in the country and is currently located within the airport terminal. The new ATCT is a $55 million project ($44 million construction and $11 million for equipment and technology) and will be located on the west side of the airport, across the runway from the airport terminal.

“It isn't every day that an airport gets the opportunity to build an air traffic control tower,” said Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E., Greater Asheville Regional Airport (GARAA) President and CEO. “Control towers are iconic and vastly important to the nation's aviation system - key infrastructure that allows aviation of all kinds to operate safely and efficiently. AVL needs a new tower, and this historic day is one more step toward the infrastructure growth we need to meet the swiftly growing air service needs in western North Carolina”

Also significant, the AVL ATCT is one of only two such projects nationwide that received grant funds approved by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. AVL received $15 million towards the project.

 “Our board has spent years planning for this very day,” said Brad Galbraith, GARAA Board Chair. “Infrastructure investments are significant, long-lasting, impactful and important – and we want to get it right. I am proud to serve on a board with strategic thinkers who have the airport’s growth and impact squarely in view. What is happening here today marks a tangible step toward this airport’s future.”

When the new tower is complete, the existing tower will be demolished to make room for airport terminal expansion. The ATCT project is part of a years-long strategic plan involving significant infrastructure investment needed to manage the fast-paced growth occurring at AVL and in western North Carolina.

The new ATCT was designed by architects at Pond and Company and will be constructed by J. Kokolakis Construction. The project is slated to be complete in 2025.

The third-busiest airport in the state, Asheville Regional Airport is an anchor organization in western North Carolina, contributing more than $2.2 billion annually to the regional economy. AVL is served by six airline partners: Allegiant, American, Delta, JetBlue, Sun Country and United, who offer nonstop service to 25 unique airport destinations throughout the country. To learn more, visit www.flyavl.com.

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